the other thing coming up is the debt ceiling. something most americans had not even heard of before two years ago. i want to be clear about this -- the debt ceiling is not a question of authorizing more spending. raising the debt ceiling does not authorize more spending. it aallows the -- it allows the country to pay for spending that congress has already attended to. these are bills that we need to pay. so while i'm willing to compromise and find common ground over how to reduce our deficits, america cannot afford another debate with congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they've already racked up. if congress am republicans refuse to pay america's bills on time, social security and veterans benefits will be delayed. we might not be able to pay our troops, small business owners, food inspectors, air traffic controllers, specialists who track down loose nuclear materials wouldn't get their paychecks. investors around the world will ask if the united states of america is, in fact, a safe bet. markets could go hayw